Ha! That was just a sampling for the photo shoot. At one point in the process I had 53 chef's knives (or gyutos, the Japanese equivalent). I'm down to more manageable numbers now but there are some I can't bear to get rid of whether I ever use them or not. The rest were donated to a regional food bank that runs a culinary training program to help people get back on their feet, learn some marketable jobs skills and get jobs in good kitchens.

And, yes, it would make a great Father's Day gift . . . or Groundhog Day, Arbor Day, Janet Leigh Appreciation Day, you name it!

I've never bothered to replace them - and they're the best zesters I've ever used. Cheapest metal possible, but sharp as hell. It's kind of like cutting a steak with BierMuncher's keggle. Someday, I will get REAL knives... but for now, they work.

"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob"Brown eye finally recovered after the abuse it endured in Ptown last weekend, but it took almost a full week." - Paulie"no, he just doesn't speak 'stupid'. i, however, am fluent...." - motobrewer"... I'll go both ways." - Melana

Very nice! The top two are from JapaneseChefsKnife.com. I recognize Koki Iwahara's photography and styling, but I'm not sure what series those are from.

For those on the fence about Japanese knives, JapaneseChefsKnife.com is absolutely wonderful. Koki is great to deal with and shipping from Japan is usually less than 7 days. Japan's EMS service is amazing. I've ordered stuff on a Sunday night and had it delivered to my doorstep in North Carolina by Wednesday morning . . . for $7. Yes, the website is a bit clunky, but these are genuinely good people selling world class knives. Give them a shot.

The bottom two are Takedas. The first is a Banno Bocho if I'm not mistaken. The second is a straight ahead gyuto. Looks like a 210mm or 240mm to me. Shosui Takeda is one of the best traditional Japanese knife makers working. He's let his quality slip a hair lately because he's become so popular among knife nuts and is struggling to keep up, but I think he's recovering. The rustic kuruouchi finish and somewhat variable fit and finish make Takedas a bit of a specialty item but his geometry is second to none. I have a 270mm Takeda gyuto in Aogami Super steel. It's ugly as a bowling shoe but will outcut nearly anything in the Western Hemisphere.

Very nice knives. It's cool to meet another enthusiast here.

Chad

Edited to add: I'm really surprised we don't know each other from some of the knife boards. People who buy Takedas or know to order from Koki tend to be be a highly specialized audience.

I have to say that I have always hated cheap serrated knives, but for a reason that most people don't even realize; they put the serration on one side of the blade. It works OK when you hold the knife in your right hand because the blade pulls opposite to the way your hand moves down, but when you're left-handed like I am, the knife starts cutting deep into whatever it is you're cutting. I have to work unnaturally to get it to move straight up and down through the food and it sucks.

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

Very nice! The top two are from JapaneseChefsKnife.com. but I'm not sure what series those are from.

The bottom two are Takedas. The first is a Banno Bocho if I'm not mistaken. The second is a straight ahead gyuto. Looks like a 210mm or 240mm to me.

Edited to add: I'm really surprised we don't know each other from some of the knife boards. People who buy Takedas or know to order from Koki tend to be be a highly specialized audience.

The top two are Fujiwara Kanefusa FKV series. The small Takeda is an Ajikiri Bocho and the Gyuto is a 240mm. It is amazing how much easier it is to work when you can use light, razor sharp knives.

I've been on the Knife forum a few times under the same screen name as here, but not for a long time. But they did lead me in the right direction as far as knife purchases went. They are definitely fanatic Japanese knife supporters. Especially the Takeda and Watanabe.